Households as Corporate Firms
An Analysis of Household Finance Using Integrated Household Surveys and Corporate Financial Accounting

“The application of corporate accounting principles to household survey data is an important idea that not only imposes intellectual discipline on the study of household finance but also delivers new insights arising from the treatment of households as small businesses. In this monograph, Samphantharak and Townsend lay out the basic approach, tackle many detailed problems of implementation, and present intriguing empirical findings on rural Thai households’ productivity and financing constraints. The authors blaze a trail that many others will follow.” – John Y. Campbell, Harvard University

“For more than 10 years, Robert Townsend and his associates have collected unique data from Thai households. One of the features that makes this data particularly valuable is Townsend’s theory-driven data collection approach: no piece of information is collected without some clear understanding of what it means and why it is being collected. This book is an invaluable illustration of this approach: accounting theory is being marshaled to construct detailed financial statements for households, many of whom have a farm or a small business. Samphantharak and Townsend’s evident respect for these households should be a model and an inspiration for all future researchers.” – Esther Duflo, MIT

“The measurement of household assets and liabilities along with the decisions on how much to consume and invest is notoriously hard, especially in developing countries where households typically engage in a myriad of livelihood activities. Using the longest and richest high-frequency panel data ever collected in a developing country, this book combines rigorous analysis with practical advice. A must-read for anyone interested in development economics or involved in the design of household surveys.” – Xavier Giné, The World Bank

“Forty years ago, the microeconomics of the family opened a wide door for social scientists. Households as Corporate Firms gives that door a much-needed shove further open. The analytical structures described here will allow economists to collect better data, ask sharper questions, and bring into focus important parts of the economic lives of billions of people.” – Jonathan Morduch, New York University

“A wealth of new insights is brought to thinking about the financial health of individuals and households. Ideas from financial economics are integrated with the economics of household behavior to develop a powerful framework for better understanding household decision-making and financial well-being. The framework also points to important ways to improve measurement in household surveys. A must-read for anyone interested in development.” – Duncan Thomas, Duke University